The new Mercury Marine ­joystick control for a single outboard puts throttle, shifting and steering control in the palm of your hand. Many captains will find that the joystick makes it easier to handle a single-engine boat in tight quarters. Full-lock steering response is realized with a quick turn of the joystick rather than with multiple turns of the wheel, and shifting from forward to reverse is just as quick. The joystick ­simplifies boathandling, matching the functionality of the Yamaha Helm Master EX single-engine system introduced in 2021.

We tested the single-engine joystick aboard a Highfield Sport 700 RIB powered by a ­Mercury Verado 250 outboard. A lightweight RIB is easily pushed around by wind and current, and thus is a perfect application for the joystick. The same could be said for a pontoon. Tilt the knob forward or back for forward or reverse thrust, and twist it left or right to steer the outboard. The bow of the vessel always follows the direction of the joystick rotation, whether forward or reverse thrust is selected. The joystick is proportional, which means that the farther from the center the joystick is moved, the more thrust is applied. The system is programmed to limit thrust through the joystick, which makes it less likely you’ll dial up too much thrust—we’ve all seen that ­happen around the dock.

Learning to use this control takes some practice. Experienced captains will instinctively reach for the wheel. But once you develop new muscle memory, control becomes instinctive. This joystick also offers some ­autopilot functions if the boat is rigged with a compatible MFD and a Mercury GPS/IMU. The single-engine joystick is compatible only with Mercury Verado and Sea Pro V-8, V-10 and V-12 engine models equipped with Mercury electric power steering. It can be retrofit, but our Merc rep suggests that the ideal time for installation is during a repower, when all the required components can be ordered together. Vessels equipped with electric steering can add the single-engine joystick for about $2,500, and autopilot for an ­additional $3,000. Note that these features are not mutually exclusive. If the vessel has electric steering, AutoPilot can be installed without the joystick, and vice versa.

Read Next: Mercury Joystick Piloting for Pontoons

SmartCraft OS Joystick Update Available

Mercury Marine recently released a SmartCraft software update that gives multiengine joystick piloting new capabilities. Closed-loop velocity control will automatically adjust throttle and steering if wind or current causes the boat to drift off course during joystick ­maneuvers, reducing unwanted fore-aft drifting by up to 74 percent. Speed-based joystick ­operation replaces the previous rpm-based system. The joystick input translates to ­actual speed over ground, and if the boat encounters a force such as a headwind or tailwind, the system will automatically increase or decrease throttle to maintain the captain’s desired speed. For V-12 engines, the software update enables slip control, which allows the transmission to slip up to 90 percent to reduce propeller rpm and more accurately control the boat’s movements. The software update is available for boats that currently have multiengine joystick piloting and next-gen digital throttle and shift controls. See a Mercury dealer for details.

The post Mercury Joystick Steering for Single-Engine Vessels appeared first on Boating Mag.

The young man attending the gas dock in Frankfort, Michigan, seemed befuddled.

“So you just crossed Lake Michigan on a pontoon boat,” he said. “Why would you do that?”

I thought about this for a ­moment and just shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess because it’s a nice day.”

The kid slipped the nozzle into our fuel fill and switched on the pump. He stood back and looked us over some more: three guys on the far side of middle age and a 22-foot pontoon.

“So now what are you going to do?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I guess gas up and go back to ­Wisconsin. It’s still a nice day.”

This little adventure was a goofy idea. Quite literally. The instigator was our friend Malcolm “Goofy” Sohm, a pontoonist of the highest order, who invited us to join him on this over-and-back. The voyage was a reprise of the same crossing Goofy made in 1999. Twenty-five years ago, Sohm crossed the pond as a ­publicity stunt to promote his recently patented invention, the T.A.P. Fin System, the first lifting device devised to improve pontoon performance. That trip made for a great story but not much publicity. This time, Sohm made sure to invite a couple of magazine writers to share the tale.

The Accidental Pontoonist

The story of Goofy Sohm and the T.A.P. Fin has appeared on these pages in the past, in abbreviated fashion. This time I’ll include all the details and tell a tale of one man’s inquisitive mind and unrelenting determination in pursuit of a goal that has, so far, been elusive.

Sohm, who is about to turn 70 years old, grew up in ­Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where his father owned a filling station and was an avid boater.

“My early childhood was like a chapter out of Huck Finn,” Sohm says. “We had a paddle-wheel houseboat. It was 42 feet long and 16 feet wide, with a wood hull we had to caulk up each spring. We used that boat to roam all over the Winnebago basin. It would take us two days to run 20 miles from Oshkosh up the Fox River to Eureka. But what a grand time! Fishing and swimming and ­sleeping on the roof with the stars overhead.”

Sohm earned his nickname in high school. On a dare, he rode his minibike one lap around the main hallway of Oshkosh West High School but crashed on the slick terrazzo right in front of the principal’s office. “What a goofy thing to do!” Mr. Rahn said as Sohm lay on the floor. There you go. Sohm embraced his moniker, which ­perfectly fits his personality.

Fast-forward a few decades. Sohm lost his fiberglass speedboat in a divorce. After he later married Terry Reiter, in 1989, the couple lived south of Oshkosh, across the road from Lake Winnebago, where Goofy had a one-man auto-body repair business. “After the divorce, all I could afford was a 21-foot Crest pontoon with a 25-horse Evinrude,” Sohm said. “I could not keep up with my buddies. I kept putting a bigger outboard on that pontoon, but my best friend had a 34 Scarab. When Lake Winnebago got rough, I was miserable.”

Sohm started wondering if there was a better way to improve the performance of his pontoon. One day, he had Terry drive while he lay on the forward deck, his head hanging over so that he could look ­below the boat.

“All this water was just flying up off the tubes and hitting the underside of the deck,” Sohm said, “and I thought, What a waste of energy. What if I could redirect that force? This was also after a pontoon with a 15 hp motor got caught in a thunderstorm on Lake Winnebago, and six people drowned. They couldn’t get off the lake fast enough when the storm popped up.”

Tapping Into Performance

In a move that now seems prescient, Sohm in 1996 commissioned the construction of a custom pontoon. Twenty-six feet long and supported by a pair of 26-inch-diameter tubes, the boat was bigger than any production pontoon on the market at the time. The tubes were formed in two pieces by a local sheet-metal shop and welded together lengthwise. That seam also incorporated wide inner and outer flanges.

“It seemed obvious that I could use fins to capture the force of the water coming off the tubes,” Sohm said. “The tubes came with the strip of aluminum sticking straight out on both sides, and I welded two Vise-Grips together so that I could bend 6 inches at a time and just work my way down the tube. I started with a 45-degree lip, and then tried 90 degrees, and then more than 90 degrees. The 90-degree bend worked the best. I had no education and no money, but I had an invention.”

Sohm finished the deck ­himself using off-the-shelf pontoon furniture bolted onto a 200 hp Mercury outboard, and in 1998, he took his ­prototype to the Pontoon and Deck Boat magazine shootout on Lake Dora, Florida.

“My goal was to demonstrate the concept and sell it to Smoker or Bennington,” Sohms said. “But the performance was disappointing. The boat ran only 31 mph. So I called my buddy John Litjens, who ran the Mercury Lake X test facility at the time, and he told me to bring the boat over.”

Litjens set up Sohm with a new four-blade prop that brought the boat to life. It now accelerated briskly and ran 37 mph—Goofy got ­dialed in at Lake X.

Sohm returned to the pontoon shootout in 1999 with a new boat fitted with a clear plastic window in the deck so that passengers could see his invention, now called T.A.P. Fin System by Conrad Marine Inc., at work with the boat underway. Sohm also invested $150,000 to get the invention patented. A boat equipped with T.A.P. fins rode higher in the water and offered a smoother ride, improved economy, and higher top speed. The fins also helped the boat carve through turns rather than skidding in typical pontoon fashion. According to Sohm, boatbuilder Godfrey thought his was a brilliant solution. So they copied it. Sohm sued, and in a ­settlement reached in 2003, Godfrey agreed to pay a ­royalty for each set of T.A.P.-like fins it ­installed. ­After Godfrey became part of ­Nautic Global Group in 2005, that deal ended. Pontoon manufacturers began placing lifting strakes on the bottom of pontoon tubes, and then on the sides. Sohm says that these devices improve performance, but the patented feature of the T.A.P. system is the 90-degree bend, which he says simply ­performs better than any other solution.

Anxious to turn his invention into a profitable business, Sohm began selling T.A.P. fins in kit form, to be welded to a customer’s boat. He continued to pitch his invention to pontoon builders, hoping to either license or sell the patent outright. Time after time, Sohm says he ran into a “not invented here” attitude.

“The engineers at these ­companies don’t want to admit that a device created by a guy from ­Oshkosh named Goofy, with no ­degree, works better than what they’ve got,” Sohm said. “Or they just don’t see the value. What they have is good enough.”

Sohm decided that he needed some publicity to help promote his business, and one evening came up with the beer-fueled notion of crossing Lake Michigan, the biggest handy body of water.

“Sturgeon Bay to Frankfort is 87 miles, the shortest distance across the lake,” Sohm said. “My big boat had a 200 Mercury and a 24-gallon fuel tank. We added another 32-gallon tank on the deck, but I still had to carry 36 more gallons in plastic jugs. That motor was a guzzler.”

His boat had no GPS and not even a compass, so he enlisted his speedboat buddy Terry Kaiser to lead the way in a 34 Formula.

“Those guys were out all night and sick over the rail, and got us off course,” Sohm said. “We missed Frankfort by 20 miles, and I almost ran out of gas, but we made it over and back. I took a few waves over the bow, so it was just a little sketchy.”

Sohm says that at the time, the media wouldn’t write about his ­accomplishment because it seemed so risky, they feared being held ­liable if readers attempted to repeat the feat and died trying. So much for publicity.

Crossing the Lake

Flash-forward 25 years, and Sohm is still pitching his patent and still selling his kits at boat shows—thousands of pontoons are running with owner-installed T.A.P. fins. He and Terry moved to North Carolina in 2003 to be closer to her family, and he works as a gofer at Long Island Marina in ­Catawba, North Carolina. Summer 2024 saw the confluence of the Oshkosh ToonFest poker run, the 50th anniversary reunion of the Oshkosh West class of 1974, and the 25th anniversary of the original pontoon crossing. What a weekend. Sohm insisted that Pontoon and Deck Boat editor Brady Kay and I join him on the anniversary crossing. Sohm towed up from North Carolina his personal 22-foot Bentley triple-tube pontoon, powered by a fuel-sipping Mercury FourStroke 250 and equipped with a compass and a GPS. For a chase/photo boat, I enlisted ace technician Dan ­Jansen to join us in Cheap and Easy, his 1983 Cruisers 220 Baron. We equipped ourselves with water, some snacks, handheld VHF radios, a spare prop, fuel filters and some tools.

The weather on July 15, our planned day of crossing, looked grim—thunderstorms and big seas—but a massive high-pressure dome was cruising in from Canada and would give us promising conditions the next day. We motored out of the Sturgeon Bay ship canal on July 16 under clear skies. Once we were a few miles out, we settled in, cruising at 20 mph. Seas were 3 to 4 feet and confused, with a chop on the top and wind from the northeast. The farther east we went, the rougher it got; we were catching the back side of the previous day’s weather. As high pressure approached, the wind shifted to the north, so we were rolling in a beam sea, with the tops of waves appearing higher than the pontoon rails. With triple-tube buoyancy and the T.A.P. fins, we stayed on top of the water, and while we smacked down hard a few times, we stayed dry and in control. For the last 20 miles, we reduced our speed to about 15 mph, but we were still outpacing the Cruisers. When I looked back, I could see mostly the bottom of the runabout as it bucked through the waves. Dan brought two curious buddies along; they and photographer Tom King took a beating.

The shoreline bluffs and Frankfort light appeared on the ­horizon about four hours after our ­departure, and we motored past the breakwater and into Betsie Lake. At the gas dock, we pumped 25 gallons into the pontoon and 31 into the Cruisers. The pontoon got about 3.5 mpg. Consider that in 1999 it took almost 90 gallons to make the same distance plus 20 off-course miles. Our fuel economy was about three times better in 2024. And the ride was much less dramatic, thanks mostly to that third tube under the boat. For an adventure ride like this one, that third tube is a game-changer and, along with the advent of force-­capturing devices like T.A.P. fins, might be the most significant ­advance in pontoon evolution over the past 25 years.

Our original plan was to grab some brunch after we arrived on the west coast of Michigan, then head back. There was no brunch at Jacobson Marina, however, and we didn’t want to walk into town, so we settled for a few bags of chips. And then we shoved off on a due-west course back to ­America’s Dairyland. By now the lake had ­really laid down, and we were cruising along at 25 mph.

Read Next: Top Gear for Boating Adventures

Lake Michigan is a big expanse of water, but I was still surprised that during the entire trip, we spotted just two other boats—a very high-masted sailboat and a lake freighter—both far off in the distance. At one point on the return, in the middle of the lake, we stopped and shut off the outboard. The sky was perfectly clear, and the lake was a deep cobalt blue. For 360 degrees around us, there was ­nothing to see but blue sky and blue water. It was beautiful and also just a little unsettling for someone who is rarely out of sight of land. I realized for the first time that if something went wrong, we were truly alone—no radio contact with our little handhelds, no other boats around, no cell service. The piece of gear we didn’t have was a tracker, satellite messenger or a satellite phone. We did have our float plan logged with Terry waiting back in Sturgeon Bay, and we had checked in from Michigan. We were well-stocked with food, and if we ran out of water, well, you could drink Lake Michigan.

The return run took just three hours. I wish I had more drama to share, but in the end, this was just a long ride on a pontoon. Funny that since then, when I tell people that I crossed the lake on a pontoon, the response is universal: What a goofy thing to do! Exactly.

The post A Pontoon Boating Adventure Across Lake Michigan appeared first on Boating Mag.

It sounds idyllic, right? You’re going to go overnight on a mini yacht (my words, not theirs) and gallivant around ­Florida’s Sarasota Bay on a beautiful summer day. That’s how I sold it to my wife, at least. See, if you’re not familiar with a pocket cruiser, it generally means a cabin boat under 30 feet length overall designed for boating in favorable, nearshore conditions. Many pocket cruisers prove small enough to trailer as well, which is a huge benefit for those of us who like to consistently see new ports of call. Now, for all you seasoned cruisers out there, you can probably already see where this story gets interesting. At 26 feet, 5 inches with just over a 9-foot beam, the Beneteau Antares 8 is on the small side for overnighting. This is why I led with the “mini yacht” yarn when I was selling this adventure to my wife. I needed someone to photograph for the story, and I needed her to say yes without overthinking it. So, after she overthought it for quite some time, she acquiesced, and we were off to Sarasota Bay.

When we first walked onto the docks, we had trouble spotting the Antares 8—until we realized it was tucked behind an Antares 11. Ten feet longer, the Antares 11 looks like a completely ­different class of boat. After dragging my wife away from that one, we boarded the ­Antares 8 and were ­immediately impressed.

The term “pocket cruiser” is an old one, referring to a cruiser small enough to fit in a vest pocket. Twenty years ago, pocket cruisers were a mainstay of boating, with plenty of boatbuilders providing trailerable cruising boats to a willing populace. Then, they fell out of favor. Now, Beneteau aims to bring back pocket cruisers with the Antares 8. We set out to learn how and why.

In the Pocket

My wife and I personally own a classic Mako of about the same length as the Antares 8, and we had been wracking our brains over how Beneteau would fit cruising amenities on the same footprint. The answer, of course, is a very deliberate layout.

The pilothouse-style design balances the deck space in thirds, with equal attention given to each. The aft third is all about angling; the Antares 8 we weekended aboard came equipped with the fishing package. Multiple rod holders, tackle stowage, and plenty of casting room allow this pocket cruiser to actually fish. The middle third is all about the pilothouse, with a fully enclosed salon complete with air conditioning (more on that later), below-deck sleeping quarters, a ­convertible seating/dining area, fridge and even a cooktop. I was amazed that ­Beneteau was able to pack so much into this size boat. The forward quarter is for the sundeck, bow rails, and anchor locker with a windlass.

After we settled in, I started to explore the helm. Some of the higher-end features on the Antares were blowing my mind. A bow thruster? Now I really did feel like I was on a mini yacht. With a single engine on a 26-plus-foot cabin boat, things can get a little hairy when you’ve got a tight docking situation, especially when you throw in a current and some wind. The Antares 8 proved an easy boat to handle dockside, though, especially with the thruster as an extra tool to use if needed.

Wanting to see how the Antares 8 handled sporty conditions, we made our way to the mouth of the inlet. It was a fairly windy day with a consistent west wind, so there was plenty of fetch to create some small waves to play around in. It’s not a dedicated offshore boat, yet the Beneteau handled the conditions admirably. And the best part was, my wife and I stayed completely dry while we gawked at the high-dollar homes along the mouth of the inlet.

Anchors Aweigh

While it was fun to test this new boat’s mettle, it wasn’t part of the assignment, so my personal indulgence had to come to an end. Besides being off mission, we were feeling hot. This wasn’t a 60-foot yacht with an oversize AC and a generator. This boat’s battery-­powered AC struggled against midday summer heat. And with two small cabin windows, the AC was still the better option than the breeze. It was time to beat the heat the old-fashioned way: by beelining it to the nearest ­sandbar. Can’t do that in a 60-footer.

Not being used to the conveniences of a modern boat, I sent my wife up to the bow when we reached the sandbar. I assumed that at the very least she would be letting down the anchor from the remote at the locker while I backed down to set the anchor. Instead, I realized that the anchor windlass was entirely controllable from the helm, something that blew my classic-boat mind and made singlehanding the Antares 8 an absolute dream. I could drop the anchor and back down on it right from the helm. This was living!

When we were set, my wife hit the mini fridge for a libation as we settled into a bluebird Florida sandbar afternoon. We met some very nice Kentuckians who came ripping in on a Freedom Boat Club pontoon and were discussing having some more “Cuban Sushi” that night.

“Cuban Sushi?” the wife asked.

“Yes,” the husband answered, “the stuff with the fish and the ­peppers and all that.”

“Oh, you mean ceviche! We can get some more of that,” the wife said.

True story. And forevermore in our household, “ceviche” and “Cuban Sushi” will be interchangeable terms. Funny how quickly life changes like that.

Shortly after, another boat showed up with the most aquatic Labrador I had ever seen. It was just deep enough that the dog couldn’t stand, so it swam from person to person, patrolling the area.

Dine and Doze

After a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon full of socializing, snorkeling and soaking in the Gulf waters, we said our goodbyes, I weighed anchor (from the helm, what luxury!), and we were on our way. We had a dinner date at an on-water restaurant in the bay. But first, a quick cleating ­lesson was in order.

Growing up a farmer’s daughter in South Georgia, my wife doesn’t have as much experience boating as I do. When we take our Mako to the Bahamas, we always have a crew full of friends who are seasoned boaters, so the guys are always the dock crew. In this case, we were a crew of two, so I needed my wife to learn to cleat off lines in a hurry. I taught her “the right way” as I had been taught from one of my sailing uncles, and we soon found ourselves the sole vessel in front of a fully occupied on-water restaurant with a strong current running and a ­crosswind. It was a high-pressure situation for my wife. She’s wound tight as it is, so the ­restaurant gawkers didn’t make things any easier for us. Luckily, I had my secret weapon: the bow thruster. We threw out our fenders, doubled back to go in nose first, then let the current nestle us in perfectly on the port side. My wife tied off a couple of perfect cleats, and we were ­strolling down the docks to dinner, cool as ­cucumbers. The gawkers were desperately disappointed not to see a Qualified ­Captain moment.

Read Next: Beneteau Antares 11

Fortunately, the restaurant manager sat us at a table right in front of the Antares 8. Perfect for capturing some golden-hour views of the boat and relaxing with a coastal dinner. When we were just about finished, I went to the boat and turned on the air conditioning, which bothered absolutely no one because it doesn’t make any sound. By the time we were wrapping up dinner, the sun was low and the temperature was comfortable inside the cabin, with the AC humming along on enough battery power to get us back to port.

We hooked back up to shore power at the dock, grabbed a ­shower at the hotel marina, and settled in for the night. How was the sleep? I’ll say this. You can’t expect your best night’s sleep on a pocket cruiser, but you also can’t expect any of the adventure of overnighting on a small boat without a little discomfort. We would do it again in a heartbeat, especially to the Bahamas, where the Antares 8’s shallow draft would allow for endless exploration of secluded coves and beaches. That would give us the opportunity to kick back, drop a line, reel in a big one, and make some fresh Cuban Sushi right on deck.

Essentials for Overnighting on a Small Boat

If you’re expecting a stately king-size bed or a stand-up shower from a pocket cruiser, you’re going to be disappointed. It’s ­essential to recognize a boat’s strengths and weaknesses so that you can set your expectations.

For example, consider bringing an air mattress. The “bed” that you’re going to be sleeping on is just a converted cushion, and “high-density marine-grade foam” is a far cry from a mattress and box spring. Recognizing that it might not be your best night’s sleep, bring all the essentials to make coffee in the morning. My wife brought her French press and made home-quality coffee on the Antares 8’s small cooktop. You’re also going to want to bring toiletries because smaller boats tend to have freshwater washdowns rather than enclosed showers. Bring linens or a sleeping bag, and an overstuffed pillow to accommodate the lack of give in the cushions if you’re going sans blowup mattress, and be prepared for the AC to freeze you out when it catches up.

We dined at on-water restaurants, but you’ll want to pack light prepared meals if your destination is more remote, which I think it should be. This boat’s real strength is in its ability to get into tight anchorages and get you off the grid in search of some adventure, so bringing a few essentials and finding some secluded mooring buoy to overnight should be on the to-do list of any Beneteau Antares 8 owner.

The post Pocket Cruiser Overnighting on Beneteau’s Antares 8 appeared first on Boating Mag.

History

In 1937, 15-year-old Joseph Armand Bombardier invented the Ski Doo to traverse the snowy streets of Quebec. His company grew into railway and aerospace, and was sold in 2003 to an investor group for billions. Sea-Doo personal watercraft,  Can-Am all-terrain vehicles and BRP-leading boat lines followed, and now include Manitou Pontoons, Alumacraft fishing boats, and the Sea-Doo Switch pontoons (a Boating Boat of the Year awardee) with PWC maneuverability powered by BRP’s Rotax engines. Rotax is a 100-year-old Austrian propulsion company, purchased by Bombardier in 1970 to power its vehicles and vessels. BRP recently added a Rotax outboard as a power option for its Manitou pontoons and Alumacraft fishing boats (conventional outboards are also available).

Innovative Design

BRP recently invested $15 million to renovate and expand its Palm Bay, Florida, design center (two other centers exist in France and Quebec), and invited Boating for a behind-the-scenes look. The 600-acre facility sits on a large lake, ideal for testing, surrounded by a sandy track for ATV trials. While running vessels and vehicles to their breaking point might sound like fun, it is the ­serious endgame for the staff of 60 in Palm Bay. A new offering could require 200 to 300 hours of testing—that is years of development.

New stuff starts with 3D and computer-aided-­design drawings. Next, prototypes are  built by 3D printing, by CAD-cut aluminum or by hand-cut wood. Those molds are then 3D-scanned and reviewed by teams of electrical and mechanical engineers, viewing the vessel or vehicle through the lenses of virtual reality and sustainability. This examination process is applied not only to its products, but also its own facilities, and takes years of interaction among the various design centers and departments. 

New Product

The innovative design process was exemplified in the development of the Rotax outboard engine. It began with field observation. According to Curt ­Wilson, director of design and advanced concepts, BRP boat-show staff overheard a woman voicing intrusion and safety concerns about traditional outboard engines. Because the market clamored for outboard ­engines, BRP went to work on how to get the outboard out of the way while keeping its benefits, and while using a Rotax engine as a foundation. 

The low-profile ­outboard, which installs under the ­wide-open MAX Deck model Manitou and Alumacraft boats, debuted two years ago. It accommodates a broader swim platform, and while the propellers are the same, it diminishes the fear of injuries and tangled lines, while access to the water for tubing and swimming is enhanced. In addition, higher fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions reflect BRP’s goals of lowering carbon footprint, protecting the environment, and incorporating ­innovation into products. 

Read Next: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at BRP’s Cutting-Edge Operation

Let It Rip!

As Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer, summarizes, “By combining design and advanced concepts with R&D, we are able to explore new possibilities, and create products that offer unique, ­innovative, and exciting ­adventures for our riders.”

From seeing the original 1959 Sea-Doo in the lobby to running the new 300 hp Fish Pro and new ­Manitou pontoons on the lake to careening around in a Can-Am Defender, I can vouch for BRP’s dedication to innovation and the ­exciting adventures that result.

The post BRP’s Dedication to Innovation appeared first on Boating Mag.

Scanstrut ROKK Charge Pro

$61.95; westmarine.com

USB and USB-C connections can be vulnerable to corrosion in moist and salty air if they aren’t protected. Scanstrut makes an entire series of ports with water-resistant covers that keep them dry when not in use. In fact, a new series, the ROKK Charge Pro, is also water-resistant when cords are in place.

The SC-Multi-F2 Flip Pro Duo has plenty of versatility, with USB and USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. The unit mounts in dual 1-inch-diameter holes and requires a 10-amp fuse. With a 12- or 24-volt supply to the charging socket, power is also jumped to the USB ports. At 12 volts’ input, the Flip Pro can charge two phones at 36 watts each. When not in use, the cover snaps tightly over the ports, forming an IPX4 waterproof seal.

• Overall Dimensions: 0.78″ x 3.15″ x 1.73″
• Footprint Dimensions: 3.15″ x 1.73″
• Cutting Dimensions: Dual 1.25″ holes, 1.5″ on center  
• Waterproof Rating: IPX4 (splashing water)
• Voltage Input: 12/24
• Fuse: 10 amp
• Output 12 Volts: 36 watts x 2
• Output 24 Volts: 60 watts x 2

Mounting Tips: Install using existing 12-volt outlet plug and wire. Mask the second hole to avoid chipping and tear-out, secure template over existing hole, and drill with a 1-inch step drill bit.

Scanstrut Flip Pro Series

$68.95; amazon.com

The ROKK Charge Pro remains waterproof while in use thanks to the cap that closes over the dual parallel USB plugs. The SC-USB-2 is equipped with USB-A and USB-C ports. It can charge two devices at 36 watts on 12 volts with 60 watts’ output. It takes only a single 1 ¹/₈-inch-diameter hole to mount the device, and it requires a 10-amp fuse in the power line. When connected, and with the lid closed, the device is IPX6 waterproof.

• Overall Dimensions: 1.14″ x 1.53″ x 3.7″
• Footprint Dimensions: 1.53″ x 3.7″
• Cutting Dimensions: 1.125″ hole 
• Waterproof Rating: IPX 6 closed (sprayed stream)
• Voltage Input: 12/24
• Fuse: 10 amp
• Output 12 Volts: 36 watts
• Output 24 Volts: 60 watts

Mounting Tips: Be sure of clearance behind the bulkhead. Mask the drill area to reduce chipping. Drill with a 1-inch step drill bit.

Scanstrut Edge

$124.80; amazon.com

Scanstrut spans the Atlantic, with headquarters in America and the UK. They make brackets, mounts, and struts for everything from smartphones and radar to topside chart-plotter pods and iPads/tablets.

The Scanstrut Edge is a waterproof, wireless, inductive charger on a swivel pedestal designed to be mounted to the dash or bulkhead. Mounting it requires two screws and a power-cord hole, all hidden by the device once it is installed. Spring-loaded “jaws” expand to accept the phone and hold it securely while inductive 10-watt charging begins. The pedestal allows the phone to be tilted 60 degrees or swiveled from vertical to landscape mode, enhancing viewing—a particularly useful feature when the phone is used for navigation.

As an alternative, Scanstrut’s Active ($149.99, westmarine.com) wireless charger mounts only the flat clamping portion to any bulkhead. We find them mounted on dashboard bow-seating areas or compartments and cubbies, where phones are less likely to be viewed and used in place but still quickly available. Both mounts are sleek and complement the looks of dash panels and other bulkheads; mounting several avoids the need for crews to swap and share.

• Overall Dimensions: 2.9″ x 8.17″
• Footprint Dimensions: 2.16″ diameter
• Cutting Dimensions: Three ¹/₈” screw holes, one ¹/₄” power-line hole
• Waterproof Rating: IPX6 (sprayed stream)
• Voltage Input: 12/24
• Fuse: 10 amp
• Output 12 Volts: 10 watts
• Output 24 Volts: 10 watts

Mounting Tips: Be sure that the mounting area allows for 60-degree tilt and 90-degree vertical rotation to landscape orientation. Also be sure that the mounting charger and holder won’t block the view of other items on the dash. Attach the template to the surface-mount area, and mark holes with an awl. Operate drill in reverse through the gelcoat to prevent chipping, then drill normally to finish. 

Read Next: How To Install a Marine Wireless Cell Phone Booster Aboard Your Boat

Peak Design Phone Cases

Varies; amazon.com

Peak Design’s expertise is in camera cases, packs, tripods and camera slings, plus modular-style phone cases and chargers, all of which barely scratch the surface of their accessorizing prowess. Modular accessories allow the owner to move phones from boat to bike to car to desktop to bedside, securing phones while charging them. Cases are available for most popular phones, and magnetic inductive bases work with or without Peak Design cases.

Peak phone cases (from $40) have a shallow, metal-rimmed socket on the back, which engages with the retractable teeth of various mounts. Buttons on either side of the square-mount base release the phone. While engaged, the case holds the phone firmly, even in sudden stops, unexpected potholes, and rough water. Charging bases (from $40) connect to the boat’s 12- or 24-volt power system with USB-C/USB-A cables for inductive charging. Mounting bases (from $40) with 1-inch balls to connect to clamping mounts from Peak Design or suction-cup mounts by makers such as RAM Mounts. Silicone-rubber pipe straps offer another handy option to mount a phone at the helm on a rail or grab bar.

Adhesive dash mounts are also available. Though Peak Design’s adhesive base is flexible to conform to contoured surfaces, we found them more reliable on flat surfaces. 

• Overall Dimensions: Varies
• Footprint Dimensions: 1″ to 3″
• Cutting Dimensions: NA
• Waterproof Rating: NA
• Voltage Input: 12/24
• Output 12 Volts: 15 watts
• Output 24 Volts: 15 watts

Mounting Tips: Adhesive mounting is tricky. Follow the instructions, and don’t use the mount for 24 hours. Suction-cup mounts need a perfectly clean, flat surface. If possible, use a rubber gasket under the pipe-clamp mounts. Mount devices where they aren’t likely to be brushed against.

The post Phone Charging and Mounting Systems for Boats appeared first on Boating Mag.

After 30 years of saltwater use, the intricately curved anodized-aluminum trim along the cap of the open transom of my outboard-powered 21-foot center-console fishing boat was falling apart. Corrosion had eaten away at the metal, and its once-lustrous finish was now crusty and riddled with ragged holes. 

I wanted to buy new trim from the factory, but production of the model had long ceased, and no replacement trim was available. Commissioning a custom piece of trim from a fabricator proved a bit too expensive for my budget.  

Making my own seemed like the way to go. I started with 1-inch aluminum 90-degree angle stock for the straight run across the outboard edge of the transom where the liner meets the hull. On each end of the straight run, however, the transom curves upward to meet the rail cap. Bending the aluminum stock proved too difficult for me, so I turned to another material—1-inch PVC 90-degree angle stock—to adjoin and bookend the aluminum trim. The PVC is 3/16-inch thick, which is drillable and holds fasteners well, and the light-gray color complements my boat and blends well with the aluminum angle stock. It is available in up to 6-foot lengths for $21.08 each from grainger.com.

PVC angle stock is rigid and chemical-resistant but becomes malleable with the application of mild heat, and so it can conform nicely to inside and outside bends. It returns to a rigid state once it cools. Here are the steps I followed to shape one curving piece of trim, a process that needs to be repeated in a mirror image on the opposite side.

Skill Level: 2.5 of 5

Finish Time: Approx. 3-4 hours per each curved piece of trim

Tools and Supplies

• PVC 90-degree 1-inch angle stock ($21.08/6-foot length; grainger.com)
• 2-foot-long piece of ­two-by-six hardwood lumber
• Jig saw or coping saw
• Scrap cardboard and ­masking tape
• Pencil or marker
• Heavy-duty scissors and ­razor cutter
• Assorted vises and clamps
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Heat gun
• Miter box and fine-tooth back saw
• Bastard file
• Power drill and bit set
• No. 10 Phillips 3/4-inch-long truss-head self-tapping screws 
• Phillips screwdriver
• Marine sealant
• Shop rags (to wipe away ­excess sealant)

Create a Template

If you have not done so already, remove the old trim. If it comes off without bending or breaking, you can use the old trim as the template to build a jig as outlined in the next step. If the old trim is not usable for this purpose, securely tape a piece of cardboard against the outside of the transom, then with a pencil or marker, carefully trace along the curve of the transom. Then remove the cardboard and cut carefully with pair of scissors or a razor cutter with a fresh blade along the line you traced. This piece of cardboard will serve as your template for building a jig to shape an inside curve in the PVC stock. 

Build a Jig

I used a piece of two-by-six hardwood lumber about 2 feet in length to build the jig. Using the template, trace the radius of the curve so that it carries from the top edge of the wood to merge with the end of the piece of lumber. Next, use a jig saw or coping saw to cut carefully along the line that you drew, ensuring that the cut is as perpendicular as possible to the broad side of the board, thus creating a flat surface on the narrow edge for clamping and ­bending the PVC 90-degree angle stock. If not, you might have to sand the narrow edge of lumber to obtain a flat and level surface after the cut. 

Tip: Depending on the radius of the curve you need to create, you can use a two-by-four (for a smaller radius than in this project) or a two-by-ten (for a larger radius) to build the jig.

Heat and Bend

Lock the jig into a vice with the broad side vertical and the curved portion on top and hanging over the edge of your work surface to allow the heated PVC to bend around the end of the board. Clamp one side of the PVC angle stock to the top of the jig so that the ­other side of stock is ­oriented upward (to accommodate the inside curve). Gently and slowly warm the PVC in the area of the bend with a heat gun. Keep moving the heat gun to avoid overheating or crinkling of the plastic. As it softens, guide the stock carefully around the radius of the curve until you have created the desired bend.

Tip: A pair of heat-resistant gloves allows you to shape the curve of the heated plastic without suffering any burns to your hands. 

Fit and Trim

Let the angle stock completely cool with the clamps in place until the PVC angle stock becomes rigid again. Then unclamp it from the jig, and test-fit it to the transom edges to ensure that the newly curved piece follows the bend and fits flush on all surfaces. Assuming a good fit, also note where you need to trim the PVC stock on each end, marking both with a piece of masking tape. Cut the angle stock to fit with a miter box and a fine-tooth back saw. Leave at least ¹/₈ to ¹/₁₆ inch of extra length on each end. This will allow you to file down the last little bit of material for the tightest fit possible.

Read Next: How to Apply Clear Coat to a Fiberglass Boat

Drill and Secure

Refit the piece of trim in place—recheck your cuts to make sure everything fits well and flush. Then mark the best location for the mounting screws. Avoid screwing into the apex of the curving portion of the trim or along the vertical leg of the angle stock. Instead, secure it along the straight horizontal portions of the PVC. Drill pilot holes with a No. 21 bit through the trim and into the transom cap, and use stainless-steel 3/4-inch-long No.10 Phillips truss-head self-tapping screws. Bed the surfaces and pilot holes with marine sealant. Don’t overtighten the screws so as to prevent cracking the plastic.

Tip: Before attaching the replacement trim, fill in and seal the old screw holes from the original trim. In this case, I filled in the old holes with Marine Tex. 

The post How to Create Custom Boat Trim appeared first on Boating Mag.

In the simplest of terms, an AC generator supplies power directly to a 120-volt circuit to run AC accessories throughout a boat, as well as charge the boat’s batteries (through an AC-to-­DC charger). A DC generator, on the other hand, directly charges the boat’s batteries, which can, in turn, provide 120-volt power via an onboard DC-to-AC electrical inverter system.

One important ­caveat: Inverters are generally more limited in the AC power that they can supply versus a more robust AC generator. Accordingly, this generally limits the primary market for DC ­generators to boats less than about 55 feet in length overall.

That said, a DC generator can eliminate much of the complicated AC shore-power rigging and provide a seamless transition between the DC and AC systems, says Chad Godwin, OEM sales ­director for Fischer Panda, which currently offers two diesel-powered DC generators, as well as a full line of AC generators. The 12-volt AGT5 delivers 12 volts at 272 amps and is rated at 5 kW; the AGT6 produces 24/48 volts at 192/96.5 amps and is rated at 5.5 kW. The company also builds custom DC generators for boatbuilders.

Lending impetus to the development of DC generators is the growing use of marine lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) house batteries, which are lighter in weight, provide greater storage capacity, and recharge faster than traditional lead-acid AGM batteries. “A diesel-powered DC generator represents a near-perfect complement, providing faster, quieter, safer, and more-effective low-rpm charging than most outboard engines can deliver,” Godwin contends.

DC generators also weigh less, require less space, and consume less fuel than AC ­generators. “The AGT generators can weigh 50 percent less than a comparable AC generator and are up to 30 percent smaller in size,” Godwin says. “Because you don’t have to continuously run a DC generator to power AC accessories, it consumes less fuel than an AC generator.”

In many ways, ­Fischer Panda’s DC generators are an answer to ­Navico’s ­Fathom e-Power ­system. Instead of a marine ­generator, Fathom uses high-output alternators in select Mercury outboards to supply DC power to charge a bank of LiFePO4 house batteries. However, outboards need to rev at fairly high rpm to ensure that the battery system can keep up with heavier-­load accessories such as an air conditioner. The Fischer Panda AGT6 8.8 hp generator provides an ­effective alternative when using outboards at low rpm such as when slow-trolling. Of course, the Fischer ­Panda DC generators require that most boats have a separate diesel-fuel system. 

Like the Fathom ­system, Fischer Panda’s AGT generators also have an ­automatic feature that monitors a boat’s battery bank and turns on and off in auto mode to keep ­batteries ­correctly charged. 

These water-cooled ­generators are also ­extremely quiet, ­registering just 66 dB(A) for the AGT6 when measured at a distance of 7 meters, according to Fischer Panda. These lower sound levels, combined with ­intermittent usage, mean you could conceivably run the generator in a mooring or in an anchorage without unduly annoying your ­neighboring boaters.

Read Next: AGM vs. Lithium Batteries

The diesel-fuel requirement for the AGT system presents both benefits and drawbacks. On the plus side, diesel exhaust minimizes those dangerous carbon-monoxide fumes associated with gasoline exhaust. On the downside, as pointed out earlier, a fuel tank dedicated to diesel fuel will be needed aboard almost any outboard-­powered boat equipped with this generator system.

Fischer Panda is currently supplying DC generators to four boatbuilders for outboard-powered models within each of their ­lineups. This includes the new ­Regal 50 SAV, which features the factory-installed DC generator system that it has dubbed “LivePower.”

The post The Benefits of Direct-Current Marine Generators appeared first on Boating Mag.

The right tow point—a water-ski pylon or a wakeboard tower—transforms your boat for watersports. With this addition, it’s not just about the experience in the boat; it’s about what you can do behind it.

For the first few decades ­after Ralph Samuelson invented ­water-skiing in summer 1922, skiers used a lifting ring near the stern of an ­inboard-powered boat to attach a tow rope. Since the late 1950s, competition ski boats have included a pylon placed just forward of their ­midship-mounted inboard engine. This pylon placement helps the driver maintain straight tracking of the ski boat, providing skiers with an optimal tow. Today’s boats have many ­choices, catering to whichever sport you’re pursuing.

Plethora of Tow Points

Most runabouts, pontoons, saltwater fishing boats, and even 40-plus-foot dayboats like those made by Axopar, Beneteau, and Wellcraft offer a dedicated tow-point option. Wakeboard towers, which originated in ­dedicated wakeboard boats in the late 1990s, are now a common option for bowriders and pontoons.

Sterndrive and sport-jet boats typically feature a center-mounted tow eye at the transom, while outboard-powered boats can use a V-shaped tow harness or the TurboSwing—a curved stainless-­steel bar with a swiveling tow point that keeps the ski line clear of the propeller.

Some manufacturers, such as Sea Ray, Bayliner and Boston Whaler, offer tow pylons but recommend using a transom tow point because it offers the most strength for towing the added drag of a tube. The lower tow point is crucial for tubing to inhibit it from going airborne or flipping.

Read Next: Basic Rules of Tow Sports Etiquette

An Upward Tow

Low tow points are great for tubing but not for tow sports because they produce a downward pull, making it harder for skiers and boarders to maneuver. Pylons, TurboSwings, and towers provide upward pull, making it easier to start and perform tricks on wakeboards, kneeboards, and water skis. The higher the tow point, the better the lift—a must for sports such as wakeboarding.

The wakeboard tower provides a much higher tow point than a pylon, enabling wakeboard riders to gain more height and distance during wake jumps. This elevated pull also benefits water-skiers, kneeboard riders, and barefoot water-skiers by making in-water starts, slalom skiing, and performing tricks easier. 

Not every boat can fit a ­tower, but some builders, including Sea Ray and Boston ­Whaler, incorporate tow points on hardtops. What about surfing? Some boats, such as the Regal 38 Surf, feature tow points not only at the traditional center location on the hardtop, but also on the starboard and port sides. This design allows ­water-skiers and wakeboarders to use the ­center tow point, while the side-­mounted tow points make it easier for wakesurfers to get out of the ­water and manage the large wake created behind the boat.

The post High vs. Low Tow Points appeared first on Boating Mag.

It’s not often that we get to compare two of the same hulls with different deck configurations from the same manufacturer. What a bonus when they’re both high-performance outboards! Stingray Boats of Hartsville, South Carolina, recently released its 23 OSX bowrider and sistership OCX cuddy cabin.

On a sunny May afternoon on Stingray’s home lake, these two 23-footers powered by 300 hp outboards provided great fun and driving experiences, as well as a great comparison between these two styles of boats. It doesn’t hurt that they’re built well and ­loaded with cool features.

Drew Gantt is a design engineer at Stingray and was deeply involved in the OSX/OCX execution. He notes that the bottom design comes from the ­boatbuilder’s previous 225SX featuring Stingray’s famous patented “Z-Plane” design. With no flat ­running pad like other performance V-hulls, it’s easy to drive even the first time out. Modified with added length and beam, and set back to handle larger loads and today’s heavier ­outboard engines, the entire boat is CAD-designed and goes through simulated testing before a plug is ever made. It’s built from 100 percent composites, so there’s no wood to rot, and it presents a solid ride with no rattling or creaking. All backing plates for cleats, eyes and rails are composite. There’s no core in the running surfaces; it’s all ­woven roving, stitched fiberglass, and mat with stringers. The transom is a new foam core, infused with resin. Everything is bonded together, even the stringers to the hull and deck, with no bedding ­putty. Warranty is lifetime on the hull and one year on everything else.

OSX and OCX Specs

This boat is large for a single outboard: At 23 feet, 5 inches long and 8 feet, 4 inches wide, it weighs almost 3,400 pounds without a trailer. The stated maximum capacity is 10 people, but a group of five or six would be more ­comfortable and realistic.

Each of our two test hulls was powered with a 300—the OSX bowrider with a Yamaha and the OCX cuddy with a Suzuki. This is significant, because while both are 300 hp V-6 four-strokes, the two use vastly different gear ratios in the drive units. The ­Yamaha uses a 1.75-to-1 ratio, which is a common gear ratio in larger, powerful outboards. The Suzuki employs a much shorter 2.08-to-1 ratio. Theoretically, that would give the Suzuki the acceleration advantage and the ­Yamaha the top-speed edge. Of course, these differences can be mitigated with careful propeller selection. The Yamaha was fitted with a 23-inch-pitch Yamaha Pro Series stainless-steel three-blade. The Suzuki employed a (gasp!) Mercury 28-inch-pitch Bravo 1 four-blade. Why the Mercury wheel? According to Stingray techs, in testing, it outperformed the stock ­Suzuki propellers handily, but more testing is scheduled for the near future.

While both are great performers, the OSX bowrider outperformed the OCX cuddy. We recorded 68.3 mph at 6,000 rpm with two aboard and a half-tank of fuel, in 6-inch windblown lake chop. The canary­yellow OCX cuddy saw a best of 64.7 mph at 6,500 rpm with the same passenger and fuel load. From a dead in-gear idle, the OSX bowrider planed in 3.6 seconds; we hit 30 mph in 5.4 seconds. The OCX cuddy was decidedly less quick, planing in 5.4 seconds. Zero to 30 mph took 7.9 seconds. In the fuel­economy contest, the bowrider won again; best cruise was at 3,500 rpm and 37.9 mph, netting 4.9 mpg. The OCX cuddy’s best was at 3,000 rpm and 24.6 mph, a best of 4.6 mpg. So the bowrider got better mileage, and at nearly 14 mph faster. In a boat like this Stingray, the ability to cruise faster while getting good fuel mileage is a decided advantage.

Because the weights of both hulls are nearly identical, it’s clear that some propeller, engine height and setback tweaking is in order if the OCX cuddy is to be competitive with the OSX bowrider. While the OCX’s sculpted deck might look cooler, even the cost advantage goes to the OSX bowrider; similarly equipped, it’s about $5,000 less.

Read Next: Stingray 23 OSX

In these boats, the differences are all forward of the windshield. The OSX’s bowrider section features two wide lounge seats with backrests facing forward, with ample room for two to stretch out. The seating is plush and detailed, in a white-and-deep-gray-­vinyl combo that looks crisp without being drab. Folding armrests, stainless-steel grab rails, and plenty of cup holders are featured up front and also in the cockpit. At the bow between the seats, there’s a built-in insulated cooler and a very cool anchor locker with ­slide-out anchor holder.

The OCX cuddy looks svelte and dashing with a long, pointed deck that’s sculpted for more strength and style. Under the deck, there’s a double V-berth that’s plenty long; Gantt is 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and he fits with room to spare. A center section cover conceals a portable toilet. The hull sides are fitted with upholstered, padded rails to keep small items from getting lost. There’s a sink, phone charger, a pair of stereo speakers, a mount for a small gas grill, courtesy lights, and a round access hatch in the center of the deck. A headliner is well-fitted and covers the fiberglass for a neat ­appearance. The liner is fiberglass for easy ­cleanup. There’s easy access to the backside of the dash if troubleshooting is needed. Access from the cockpit is through a custom-made acrylic and plastic doorway with ­articulated hinges.

From the windshield back, the OCX and OSX are identical. The only option on each of our test boats was the Garmin display; everything else is standard, including digital switching and a Yamaha or Suzuki digital engine monitor. Tilt hydraulic ­steering coupled with electric power assist is standard. A ­Fusion sound system with amplifier and six speakers is standard. The ­self-bailing cockpit is a huge ­advantage when boarding soaking-­wet passengers or even just forgetting to cover it when it rains. The pilot and navigator sit in deep, plush bucket seats that provide great stability and security at higher speeds. Just aft, two longitudinal lounge seats blend into and around a full-width stern bench seat.

Under the stern seat, there’s a door to quickly access the battery switch and fuel tank. Fully finished overboard-draining ­storage boxes are underneath both sternside lounger seats, which hinge up from the forward side and feature cantilever-hinge supports to keep them open for easy access. At the stern, there’s a wide watersports platform with a built-in insulated cooler on the port side and extending stainless-­steel boarding ladder ­under a hatch cover on the starboard side. The center section of the aft seat unlatches and hinges forward to access batteries, a water tank, bilge and water-tank pumps, all of which sit atop thick, gelcoated fiberglass covers that hide flotation foam underneath. The aft end is one very large storage compartment, great for life jackets, water toys and the like. The entire compartment is gelcoated smooth for easy cleanup.

Stingray’s twin hot rods provide great options for those looking at performance outboard hulls, capable of lending speedy thrills while serving admirably towing watersports enthusiasts, hosting dinner cruises, and impressing the locals at sandbar parties. With so many opting for fast pontoons these days, it’s refreshing to see fast outboard fiberglass hulls again.

Stingray 23 OSX Bowrider

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha F300 four-stroke
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Pro Series 141/2″ x 23″ 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 28 gal. Crew Weight: 450 lb. Price: $104,434 (as tested)

Stingray 23 OCX Cuddy Cabin

How We Tested

• Engine: Suzuki 300 four-stroke
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Bravo I 151/4″ x 28″ 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.08:1 Fuel Load: 28 gal. Crew Weight: 450 lb. Price: $108,923 (as tested)

The post Bowrider vs. Cuddy Cabin appeared first on Boating Mag.

Our neighborhood made the boating news twice in 2024, stories that have fueled the offseason hot-stove league here at the Lake View Inn, where everyone is welcome to their opinion. I’m almost certain you heard about Ryan Borgwardt, the fellow who tried to stage his drowning in Big Green Lake this past August. I got calls and texts from all over the country on this one.

Borgwardt flips his kayak into the lake, leaving behind ID and a tackle box, and then paddles a little tube to shore, where he has stashed an e-bike, which he rides 60 miles to Madison, where he catches a bus to Michigan, crosses into Canada, then catches a flight to meet a woman in Georgia. The Republic of, not the state. But for a month, everyone thought the poor guy had drowned in the state’s deepest lake. Everyone, of course, except my good friend Chuck Larson, who has watched many episodes of Unsolved Mysteries, and immediately smelled a rat.

“Using my Spock logic, I deduce this is a ruse,” Chuck said after a week of high-tech searching had not located a corpse. “Nobody fishes Big Green from a kayak, especially that side of the lake. The wake reverb off the sandstone bluff makes it too rough. And the water is 260 feet deep. Was he trolling for lake trout from a kayak? I don’t think so. Finally, they found his life jacket. Have you ever seen a kayaker not wearing a life jacket? My next call would be to check his passport records.”

Borgwardt had requested a replacement passport and left one on his dresser at home, so the county sheriff didn’t check passport records for a month. Once it was revealed that he had used the replacement to cross into Canada, the jig was up. And $40,000 had been invested looking for his waterlogged body. Borgwardt voluntarily returned to Wisconsin in December. His wife is reportedly pissed.

Read Next: Tow or Salvage?

We are also still discussing the matter of Deep Thought (oh, the irony), a 33-foot Chris-Craft Roamer that has been beached on the Lake Michigan shore near Milwaukee since October 18. The story goes that the new owners purchased the boat in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and intended to cruise it home to Mississippi. Except they ran out of gas. The boat drifted onto the sandy shore just south of Bradford Beach, and the owner has apparently not been seen since. After determining that the boat did not pose a hazard to navigation or the environment, the Coast Guard declined to get involved. Turns out, Wisconsin does not have a formal program to address abandoned vessels, and no statute requiring removal if said vessel does not impede navigation. So, there it sits. The boat has become a tourist attraction, with a Google Maps pin. It was decorated with a pine garland for the holidays and tagged with graffiti and an “I Closed Wolski’s” sticker. A commercial towing and salvage company made two failed attempts to pull the boat off the beach, but its running gear is reportedly 4 feet deep in sand, and the engine room is filled with water. Or now, probably ice.

Chuck is working on a scheme to salvage this vessel, using a fire truck to pump high-pressure water under the hull and wash away the sand. So, let us know if you spot a pumper truck for sale. Chuck intends to rename the Roamer Finders Keepers.

The post Solving Boating Mysteries appeared first on Boating Mag.